The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-24
"LET US GO UNTO BETHLEHEM

event, when the infant Redeener was
found as the 'sign" to the astonished
shepherds, wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger," and still
the interest of the most civilized and en-
lightened nations of the world is fresh
and vital in the Christmas observance,
and what it signifies for mankind.
What miracle is this of the ever
enduring and constant hold of Christ
mas on the imagination and affection
of the most rational parts of the world
How freshly dawns the Christmas over
all Christian lands ! 1t is the old, old
story, and yet it is ever new, and al
ways attractive. We please ourselves
in calling Christmas the festival of
childhood but is it not an open secret
that it enlists infancy, youth, manhood
and old age, in its observance The
fathers and mothers are equal sharers
with the children in the Christmas joy.
Do we not all, with the shepherds, go
back in our thought, "even unto Beth
lehem" to consider this thing which
has come to pass, and find ourselves
quickened anew into higher and bet
ter life by the Christmas observance !?
With what new interest do we study
the details of the dear old story-"the
star in the East, the horizon adorning,"
the long caravan of the wise men, the
appearance of the angels to the aston
ished shepherds, the heavens breaking
into strange melody on the proclama-
ton of "peace on earth, good will to
men," the decision of the shepherds to
visit Bethlehem to test the truth of the
angels message, the babe discovered in
the manger, and finally the devout
thanksgiving Of those to whom the
event had been revealed-all these
things come home to us in the Christ
mas days with new and strange inter-
est, and yet the story has been told over
and over again. But humanity never
tires of the Christmas message and the
Christmas gospels. They are perennial
springs of interest and hope for all
mankind to whom Christianity has
come with its light and consolation.
The Christmas we thus celebrate with
exultant song and glad hosannas, sig
nalizes, indeed, the birth of little
child, but with the Galilean babe was
born the elements of universal dominion.
He who was born in the rude manger,
and introduced to the world under such
lowly circumstances, was the future
spiritual king over the wide empire of
humanity. We may truly say that
with the child then born was born HUI
manity, for the race then came to a
new period in its history, and witnessed
the beginning of a new order of men,
and new order among men. 1t is not
those alone who definitely hold the
Christian faith or acknowledge Jesus
as Lord, who approve the Christmas
festival; for all who recognize human
ity and who see the great advance that
the world has made under the leader
ship of Jesus, are among those who
acknowledge the beauty and propriety
of the great observance. Never be-
FORE" remarks one who denies the
highest claims of the Nazarene, and
who refuses the allegiance of Chris
tian disciple, Never before had there
"been any belief in the unity of the
race in its common aims, in its COM
"mon hopes; never before had it been
pronounced that all men were made of
lone blood to dwell together on the
"earth. Up to this tina the law of the
''world had been tribal division with in
"ter-trihal enmity and war. Conquest
"had hitherto been the universal aim,
land the conqueror's wreath the high
"est praise. AT the birth of the Foun-
"der of Christendom for the first time
''were proclaimed peace on earth and
"good will to men. From this epoch
"dates moral civilization, which is iden-
"tical with Christendom."
1t is in this way that with every re-
turn of the anniversary of the Saviour's
birth, we find the world going anew to
Bethlehem, and considering this thing
which has come to pass. Christian
and non Christian alike make the pill
grimage to Judea of old. 1t is pill
grimage which each passing year at
tracts larger number, an ever-increas-
ing throng. Never before was Christ
mas so widely observed before
were so many interested one way or an
other in the story of the olden time,
and in the event of that memorable
night. The influence of Him who was
born in the manger, no room being
found for the expectant mother at the
inn, is a growing and perpetual iniu-
ence in human affairs. Never before
in the history of mankind was this in
fluence so potential and all-embracing
as it is to-day. For, be it remembered,
that which the angels foretold assur-
eddy came to pass. Jesus Christ, our
Lord, was born in Bethlehem of Judea.
He has come ! The event is part Of
history, and unites the old and new age
in a bond of sympathy and kiaship.